Avon School pupils are learning CPR as part of Hato Hone St John’s Save Your Teddy campaign

Taane said the first thing to do in an emergency is call 911.

“You have to make sure you don’t panic. We also told them to ask their parents for their street and house numbers because that information is important in case of an emergency.”

Pippa said they had the juniors sing Baby shark while practicing CPR.

“It was the perfect song to use because all the kids know it and it has the right rhythm. We showed them how to bring their hands together before placing them on the person’s chest and pressing down to help them breathe. You have to do a certain number of pushes per minute and the Baby shark song fits that. I admit: the song does get stuck in your head.”

Charlie said it’s better to learn CPR sooner or later.

“You never know when you’ll need it.”

Shayla O’Donovan, 11, said it’s important to know how to respond in an emergency.

“We want to save people who are in trouble.”

It was fun for junior students Harmony Tako-Taputoro, 6, and Macey Simons, 5, to learn CPR with their stuffed animals.

Harmony said it was fun.

“I enjoyed learning it.”

Macey said she liked it song.

“It was funny when we all sang it.”

Principal Lisa Hill said the students learned valuable skills.

“It is so important that our tamariki know what to do in an emergency and how to help. Every little bit makes a difference.”

Cardiac arrest remains one of Aotearoa’s leading causes of death. In New Zealand, seven people a day are treated for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest – that’s more than 2,000 a year, with men dominating the gender statistics at 68%, compared to women’s 32%.

Twenty-three percent of patients survive the event and have a heartbeat upon arrival at the hospital; however, only 11% of patients survive. The figures are worse for Māori (25% lower survival rate than non-Māori) and Pasifika people (33% lower survival rate than non-Pacific people), who are more likely to suffer cardiac arrest earlier in life.

Seventy-six percent of patients receive bystander CPR and 6% receive defibrillation by a rescuer before the ambulance arrives. That’s why it’s so important to educate as many people as possible through the ‘3 Steps For Life’ program.

Step one: call 111.

Step two: Start CPR.

Step three: Use an automated external defibrillator (AED).